


Fifty shades of green (and one of blue)

by koorime_yu, Stateira



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Clint and Bucky are maybe more than bros, Fluff, M/M, Natasha Is a Good Bro, SO MUCH FLUFF, Steve Rogers is Captain Denial, Tony Stark Has Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-06
Packaged: 2019-01-08 18:26:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12259701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koorime_yu/pseuds/koorime_yu, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stateira/pseuds/Stateira
Summary: The one where Nat has already chosen the shade of green of her dress, Steve looks really good in blue, and Clint is the worst spy ever.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Fifty Shades of Green (and one of blue)](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/327168) by Stateira_e_Koorime. 



> Hi!  
> We originally wrote this story in Italian, so obviously this is a translation and - again, obviously - English is not our first language. So, sorry for any mistake you might find, and we hope the writing is as smooth as we intended it to be.   
> The story is already completed, so fear not! We will publish the second and last chapter in a couple days. 
> 
> We would like to thank our friend Foolish for reading the whole thing and fixing as many mistakes/rough sentences as possibile. You were so preciuous and patient to us, thank you so much! 
> 
> Enjoy the reading, and remember: reviews are always welcome!

Green.

A dark, luscious shade of green, to compliment her hair colour. Natasha has picked: she’ll wear a dark green dress to Cap and Stark’s wedding. She plays loosely with her teaspoon in her coffee mug, while Steve is skillfully frying eggs and bread for the whole team, and Tony is ordering around the poor coffee machine.

The choice to move the whole team to the Stark Tower had been easy, almost natural. If there’s one thing they’ve all learned is that they work better together, on all levels. Even far from the battlefield. And Steve didn’t have a house. Not anymore, given that Bucky practically blew his old place up. Not that Bucky had a roof to live under, either. And as for Nat herself, the choice between SHIELD’s dorms and the super luxurious house she currently lives in was easy to say the least. Thor is always there, and Banner arranged his own lab, so that was it.

It really was easy.

Then, the inevitable happened. Tony Stark and Steve Rogers got closer and closer, until they collided. It started with them joking around each others, the shared pizza and fries while watching tv, they argued with illogical fierceness over nothing. Nat got distracted for a moment, and next thing she knew they had become a married couple. Skipping everything that comes in between.

It’s frustrating.

Tony leaves a mug full of coffee - one sugar cube, a splash of milk - near Steve’s place on the table, and accepts the plate Steve is passing him - double bread, well cooked eggs - without even needing to look. They have perfected their synchronized exchange, and it works, giving that Tony hates being handed things.

“So what’s the plan for today Captain?”

Clint is seated next to her, full face in his cheese omelette. “And please, _please_ don’t say team building”

Steve glances at him, but doesn’t bother a reply. “After breakfast I’ll be heading to Washington to attend some parade. I’ll be back as soon as I can, hopefully in time to make sure Tony eats something decent - I’m talking to you, Stark - and to plan the next operations. So if I were you, I’d do a workout. And by workout, I don’t mean video game marathons”.

Clint takes a couple sips from his coffee, pretending the last part of Cap’s speech has nothing to do with him. Tony leaves his almost empty plate on the counter and grabs a new, steaming cup of coffee.

“Have fun with your rookies, Cap, and tell General Ross I say hi. With all my heart”. He pops his phone out of a pocket and makes a show of something he pretends to see on the screen. “Oh god, I’m afraid I won’t be here for lunch. Stark Industries, stockholders, boring stuff”.

Steve makes _the face_ . The _America is disappointed in you_ face. The one he always makes when he’s about to give someone a five-hour lecture. That’s when Natasha decides it’s time to stop thinking about the shade of green for her dress. She gets up and nods to Clint. “Me and Hawkeye will go through the new SHIELD’s protocols” she states. “You guys have fun, if we’re not back by lunchtime then we’re out there somewhere risking our precious lives”.

Tony is about to leave the room too, when he trips into a sleepy and shaggy Bucky.

“‘Morning, Sleeping Beauty. Your extra sweet coffee is ready and still hot on the table,” he says.

Bucky blinks blindly and turns, as Tony finally goes away. “Have you two been fighting?” He asks Steve, and Clint laughs into his coffee mug.

“What-No! No, we haven’t. Why does everybody think I must always be the reason Tony leaves a room?” Steve asks back, but gives Bucky perfect scrambled eggs with double ham anyway.

Bucky takes a seat and shrugs at Steve, nesting his mug. “Because you usually are. You are the main reason he comes and go. In every possible situation” he says nonchalantly. And if it wasn’t for Clint’s muffled laugh and Nat’s soft smirk, Steve would never have though at a possible subtext in his words.

“Don’t be ridiculous” he says as he finishes off his last mouthful of eggs. “You guys keep an eye on the man, or that coffee will be the only thing he’ll ever drink for today. Behave, while I’m gone”.

“Yes mom” the three of them chant together. Steve doesn’t bother hiding a little, amused smile while he walks away, back straight, to his exhausting morning.

  


*

  


As promised, Tony is not available until late afternoon, even if everybody knows he’s just in his workshop, playing with his new toys. Music is high, holograms are all over the shop and even Bruce is not welcome. Steve is still missing, and Natasha is pretty sure the poor man got caught  in some official lunch with the President or, worse, with Fury.

“Well, Clint. It’s just me and you” she says.

“Me you, and your friend Bucky” Clint sings back, sprawled upside down on the couch, busy taking down some enemy with a grenade. Bucky, next to him - and properly seated - kicks him on his shoulder and shoots at the enemies on the screen.

“Cover me, you idiot”

“What do you think I’m doing here, staring at your ass?”

“My ass is really gorgeous”

“I’ll think about your wedding later, okay? Now, I need to concentrate on Tony and Steve’s” Nat breaks in.

Clint puts the game on hold and turns to look at her. “Hey, if me and Bucky got married, would you be my dude of honor, or his? ‘Cause I would never, ever marry someone who steals friends from me”

Bucky looks at him with big eyes, before shutting them and sighing. He re-starts the game and, with perfect precision, his character turns and shoots to Clint’s square in the face. Clint’s betrayed pout is the best thing ever.

Nat bits her lips, trying not to laugh. “Nice shot, Buck” she says. “Now. Those two”

“Those two need to stop to acting like teenagers. It’s sad” Bucky says, starting a new game of Call of Duty. Clint shifts on the spot and rests his head on Nat’s legs, while his feet stretch behind Bucky’s head. “Yeah, I can picture Captain Denial getting out of his no homo zone and asking Tony to get serious”

“It would be great if they made at least one tiny step forward. Steve is basically a big, pink candyfloss of justice, and who do you think is more in denial, him or Stark?”

“It’s a close race”

They keep quiet for awhile, letting the sounds of bullets and explosions fill the room. “We have to take care of it, don’t we?”

“That, or we’ll become old and grey. Generally, these kinds of things go through  some predictable  phases: first, denial, then realization about their feelings, then fear to ruin everything, and the result decision to leave everything as it is. And only at the end, maybe, comes the courage to make a step forward” while Nat explains with icy precision, she doesn’t take her eyes off the two of them.

Clint notices and really doesn’t like the feeling. “Can we push them straight to the last phase, then? The sooner they start making out, the sooner we’ll stop doing those damn team building exercises.” he says, shooting at a sniper hiding on a roof. The character screams and falls, disappearing when he hits the ground.

“Leave Steve to me” Bucky says, following Clint across the dusted way in the game.

“We need a plan, soldier” Natasha replies. “We know you know Steve better than yourself, but sharing is the key, isn’t it what he always says?”

Bucky huffs and shoots a chain of perfect shots, taking down enemies like flies on the screen. “Steve is all words” he points out. Nat keeps staring at him so he pauses the game - again. Clint’s bare feet brush against the back of his head as he concentrates on the ceiling.

“I will have him spit out his crush on Stark. Once he says it out loud, he’ll start to do that stupid thing he does all the time, when he fancies someone”. He looks back at his friends, cuddled on the sofa. “You know, he sticks out his chest, he has no idea where to put his hands. He used to do that all the time with Peggy Carter” he explains. “It will be so obvious Stark simply won’t be able to ignore what’s going on and, if he’s half as smart as he claims to be, he will make his move”.

Nat furrows her eyebrows a bit. “Is it the right thing to do? Clint? What if we get to the exact opposite and Tony runs for his life the very second he realises?”

“She’s right. We need to be subtle. There’s nothing in the world that makes Tony Stark run faster than his own feelings”

A concerned silence falls on the group, until Clint breaks it. “Oh, god, I feel like I’m back to high school”. He put the game back on play and starts to shoot, followed by Bucky. “Well, if I ever went to high school, that is”.

  


*

  


Natasha is the one who goes to talk to Tony. Of course she is. Because Tony is a suspicious one, Bucky had already claimed Steve, and Clint couldn’t be subtle to save his life. She knows how to do it. She had already sold herself as notary for Stark Industries, she can definitely sell herself as his friend. She gets into Tony’s workshop with hot coffee and turkey sandwiches. Tony welcomes her with an arched eyebrow.

“Your visit humbles me”

“Don’t get delusional Stark, I was just bored. What are your working on?”

“New toys for everyone. Wanna try?” Tony replies, pointing at two silver bracelets.

A hint of interest crosses Nat’s face. Her hands are on them before he’s even done talking. “Wow. May I? Please, say yes”

Tony laughs and backs off. “JARVIS?” he calls out, and without another word, a target pops up from the ground, a few steps away from them. “Watch out for the recoil. I’m still perfecting them”

“Will do” Nat says, and shoots a couple times. The recoil is there, but not strong enough to make her miss. “Wow, they’re amazing. Did you design new stuff for the whole team, or it’s an honor for your favourite spy?”

“Well, that depends on the others. I want to see if they act like drama queens like the last time, or not,” Tony says. He really isn’t over Clint’s words yet, about his intelligent arrows. Or Steve’s face for his fabulous jet propulsion boots.

“You mean when Cap literally jumped on those boots you made for him? Because that was memorable”.

“I should be the one jumping on his pretty blond head. Ungrateful little jerk”

“Come on, we all know Steve. He likes traditional. A couple days ago we were discussing music, and he said Beatles are a little too much for his taste.”

“Oh my God, that’s ridiculous. What about Rolling Stones”

“Oh I’m not sure he tried them yet” Nat smiles with affection. “But we’re lucky, right? To have him with us. Our Cap”

“Mh, yeah. Sure. If you like big, gorgeous blond dudes with control issues and a big pole stuck right between his Stars and Stripes.”

Nat laughs wholeheartedly. “Hey do you think you could make a mathematical projection of the diameter of that pole?”

Tony considers the question thoughtfully and nods. “I think I can calculate with a good range the force he employs to transform the stick into diamond. Because let’s face it, anything sliding between those two perfect hemispheres cannot be less than perfect”.

“So there is something you actually like about Cap. But that’s an easy call. Rogers’ ass is probably a world’s heritage,” Natasha says fondly. “Sometimes he can really be annoying, right? The way he always does the right thing. Sometimes I’m... you know, bothered with him. The list of my mistakes could cover all the walls of this place, while it seems that the worst thing the man ever did was step on someone’s feet in the subway. And then apologize for hours.”

Tony huffs. “Yeah, right, as long as that someone isn’t me. Because I can almost hear him saying that it’s my fault for getting stepped over.” Tony busies himself closing some folders on three different screens, purposely avoiding Natasha. “Sometimes I think he does it intentionally to get on my nerves. But hey, I’m the true talent when it comes to making people angry.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t do it on purpose, Tony,” she says lightly. “But he will kill me if I don’t make you eat something for lunch.”

She pushes the plate of sandwiches in front of him. “Yes, all of this was an excuse to make you eat something,” Natasha admits jokingly.

Tony stares at the plate with empty eyes. “He does realise that no average human being could eat that amount of food, right? Unless it’s Clint.”

“Oh he didn’t make those sandwiches, I did. He would have put a lot more salad and very little mayonnaise in yours. I’m taking them to Clint and Bucky, so I just need you to grab a couple and get back to work. I want my bracelets ready for the new fall-winter collection.”

Tony grins and grabs three sandwiches. He takes a bite of the first one before adjusting his protective glasses on his nose. “As you wish ma’am”.

  


*

  


Steve comes home in the late afternoon. He’s sweaty and in a bad mood. There’s only one thing he hates more than the Army’s official events, and it’s Army’s official lunches. Seated at an elegant table, harassed by silverware and glasses, Steve has felt like a caged animal and has barely eaten anything. With a sigh, he crawls on the couch in the common room, reaching for an almost empty chips bowl.

“I know that face. Who annoyed America’s favourite son?” Bucky knocks down Steve’s feet unceremoniously from the sofa and takes a seat, studying his pout as if it were a matter of science.

Steve lifts his legs and rests them on Bucky’s lap. “Ross makes me nauseous. I swear to God, Buck, I’d pay a squad of doubles to make them go to those stupid freak shows in my place. Every single smile I have to fake costs me physical pain.”

“And you know something about freak shows, don’t you” Bucky smirks, and then rubs Steve’s legs.

“I do” Steve relaxes a bit. He munches some chips and his pout fades a little. “Tell me your day was better than mine.”

Bucky shrugs. “Well, Clint fell off the rooftop and broke his shoulder. Nat screamed at him like mad. Bruce is nowhere to be found and Stark is still in his workshop.”

“Oh my god is Clint alright-Stark is still in his workshop? For the love of Christ, doesn’t he know when to quit?”

Bucky laughs and shakes his head. “I don’t think they gave it to him, no. However, he had a proper lunch. Natasha took care of it personally, so enough with that concerned face.” Bucky smiles sadly. “I really don’t get why you let him have all this power over you if he always makes you see red.”

Steve rolls his eyes. “He’s a great man. A friend, even, but God, sometimes he’s so irresponsible, reckless, selfish...”

“Just like his father, right?” Bucky shakes his head lightly. They don’t talk much about Howard, especially when Tony is around. But both love to remember, sometimes. And doing it together is somehow reassuring.

“I see a lot of him in Tony, even if Tony is, I don’t know, worse in some ways. I don’t even know if he cares about this team, or if it’s just a game for him.” Steve says.

Bucky shrugs. “I think that’s just the idea he wants to give to the world. I don’t know, the more I know him, the more his couldn’t-give-a-damn attitude feels like a mask. Otherwise, I couldn’t explain the amount of time he spends building that stuff that keeps us safe in mission.”

“Yeah, you’re right. He’s saved us so many times, but I still just want to strangle him sometimes.”

Bucky chuckles. “It must be because of your absolute incapacity to take orders. Both of you.”

Steve stretches lazily to grab the remote. “I can take orders. Just not from him,” he mumbles, zapping to find a good documentary.

“You know, sometimes I think you don’t even like the guy, and you try to be his friend just for Howard’s sake. To have a part of your old friend back”.

Steve turns to him, worried. “No. No I don’t think so. It would be terrible, wouldn’t it? I really like Tony, I just… Do you think I’m doing this for Howard without even realising?”

Bucky shrugs. “I don’t know, you tell me. Sometimes I feel like I’m the one doing it, but then again, Howard wasn’t even really a friend to me. Not like the two of you used to be. You were the link. While Tony, I kind of like him. He grew on me, I find him funny, don’t you?”

Steve just stares at the ceiling. “Yeah, I guess he is funny. Even if I don’t always get his jokes.”

“You never get jokes, Steve. Ever” Bucky smiles affectionately. “Okay, get off me, I need to check if the jerk broke his other shoulder too, or Natasha will shout at me.”

Bucky gets up. “Hey, take care of yourself, okay? Supersoldier or not, you look like hell right now” he adds.

Steve pats on Bucky’s good shoulder. “Tell Clint he’s not skipping team building tomorrow”.

  


*

  


Clint really has broken his shoulder. Technically speaking, it was Bucky’s fault. The hawkidiot had leaned a little bit too much from the rooftop and went down, and Bucky had had to catch him with his metal arm. This stopped his free fall and prevented him from becoming the first Avenger ever to die a very, very embarrassing death. However, it also caused him a nasty fracture. So now Clint is resting, pouting and bored as hell.

“Steve says you’re not skipping team building tomorrow,” Bucky starts, letting himself in without knocking.

“Steve can kiss my big white ass,” Clint retorts. He’s on his bed, with tons of pillows stuck behind his back and his broken arm held up in a weird way by a cast. “Where’s Natasha?”

“She’s coming. She’s out to get you some decent painkillers” Bucky sits on the night stand next the bed. “You’re an idiot, you know that, right?”

If possible, Clint’s pout gets even heavier. “I tripped, okay? I slipped, sue me.”

“I should. I could take away your whole collection of Dog Cops and all your video games.”

“Are you trying to make him cry?” Natasha asks, entering the room and also not bothering to knock. She throws a little bag at Clint.

“So?” Clint tries to stir - but he regrets it sourly, as his arm gives him hell - “You got anything good?”

“Got something, yes. Good, not really. Stark thinks Cap is a boring Mister Perfect with a light pole stuck up his ass. I don’t think he currently sees him as his soulmate.”

“Steve thinks Stark is an irresponsible, selfish little know-it-all jerk.”

The three of them exchange looks.

“Problem is, neither of them is wrong,” Nat says.

“They’re not helping their own cause, are they?”

“Not at all. They’re in the worst position. They really like each other and care for each other, but see more cons than pros in one another. As it is, they don’t want to take a step ahead.”

“What we can do, then?”

Bucky grunts. “We need to show them they’re wrong?”

“Yeah? How? We’re talking about Captain Virginity and Good Feelings, and Mister Genius Billionaire Playboy Philanthropist. Have you any idea how stubborn those two can be?”

Nat snaps her fingers, shutting up the other two. “Of course. We got it, it’ll work. The solution’s always been there, right under our noses!”

The two men look at each other. They won’t admit they didn’t get anything. Probably Nat would put it on their register.

“If there’s something those two have in common, is their love for the world. For the innocents, for the hard luck, for everybody. And what chance do we have to have them in their best outfits, in the same room, drunk in good intentions?”

“The next charity gala” Clint whispers, trying to re-collocate the pillows that got squashed behind his back.

“Two days from now. For the victims of the hurricanes in the East Coast,” Bucky says. He carefully moves Clint away and squishes the pillows for him with an exasperate sigh - the same he used to use with Steve.

“Okay, I suggest to send those two alone and let them finally get over the fact that they need to make out, for the love of God” Clint sorts himself out on the pillows and breathes in relief.

Natasha looks at them and grins a little bit. “Yes. Let’s figure them out  first.”

  


*

  


Steve is not happy he’s not been updated about new missions, but he doesn’t show. “You’re leaving? But isn’t the gala tonight?” he says, raising his eyes from some dossier he was reading.

“Hey, blame Fury” Bucky replies. “Clint was due to go, but seeing as he’s beaten up I’m taking his place with Natasha.”

“I am so disappointed” Clint says with a shit-eating grin.

“Okay, it means Tony and I will go to that gala, then. Avengers’ presence was confirmed a while ago, we cannot back out” Steve decides.

“Weren’t you the one who hated this sort of things with all his heart?”

Steve plays with the plastic folder of his dossier. “I hate parades. Political events. But now, we’re talking about helping people who’ve lost everything. It’s different, I have to play my part.”

Tony is at the other side of the room, shaking his Starkphone to scan some pictures into the catalogue. He probably hasn’t heard a thing, and nobody takes the trouble to tell him anything. He will find out, eventually.

“We should get going,” Natasha waves, and Bucky follows her, while Clint lifts his good hand. “Bring me a souvenir!”

Steve eyes him, unimpressed. “You, Barton, don’t think you will get away so easily. You’ll reorder our archive. One hand will be more than enough for the job.”

“Aw, archive, no,” Clint wines, letting his head fall on the table. The thud calls Tony back to Earth and he blinks twice before looking around himself, realizing where he is and with who.

“The hell have you done to your shoulder?” Tony asks, looking at the plaster like he had never seen it before.

“Jesus, Stark,” Steve glares at him. “Really? Clint almost killed himself two days ago and you notice it just now? And let me guess, you didn’t hear a word about tonight, did you?”

“I was in my workshop, how could I have known?” But then Steve’s words make a breach to his brain and Tony blinks - again. “Tonight what?”

“The charity gala. The one you surely forgot about.”

Tony opens his mouth in disdain. “No,” he lies. “I know exactly what you’re talking about. In fact, I freed myself specifically for tonight, so that I could be there.”

“That’s excellent news, given that it’s on us two to go,” Steve counters, a sarcastic tone in his voice.

“Okay. Great. I can’t wait.” Tony nods and looks around, as if he was looking for help. “Remind me again the main reason for this charity?”

Clint bursts out laughing, but is immediately silenced by the pain that comes from his arm.

Steve rolls his eyes. “How are you still alive, Tony? It’s the fundraising for the victims of last summer’s hurricane. Do you remember now? Orphans and families left homeless.”

Finally, Tony’s eyes go big with understanding. “Oh. Oh, yeah, sure. Yeah, okay, I’m in!” He reaches for a mug of hot coffee and drinks half of it in one gulp, just to pour himself another one. “JARVIS, sign it in my agenda, would you? And set an alarm memo for me. Every half an hour, for the preceding two hours”

“Won’t be necessary, Jarvis, thank you. I’ll be his memo, and be sure I’ll come punching your lab door and drag you out of there. You know I will”.

Tony stares at him for a moment, unimpressed. “Jarvis. Memo,” he repeats, and goes away without another word.

Clint tries to concentrate on Rogers’ pout, but decides that it isn’t worth it. Better to crush his head against a wall.

  


*

  


That afternoon, Steve is ready to go and crash down the glass door of Tony’s workshop, when JARVIS informs him that Pepper is on her way to his level. He goes to the elevator and smiles to welcome her.

“Steve” She greets him with a smile and a kiss on the cheek. She’s beautiful as usual, even with a dress bag stretched over her shoulder. “How are you? We haven’t met in a while.”

“I’m good, Pepper, really good. But never as good as you,” he says, ever the gentleman. “You came to bring Tony his suit?”

“Actually, this one’s for you” Pepper says, handling him the big, soft bag. “Tony’s already in his room. He was showering, I was surprised he was already getting ready. I would have bet I’d had to drag him out of his workshop”

“Miracles of Jarvis’ alarms,” Steve smiles, taking in his bag. “So, you two, are you now…”

“Us two…? Oh! Oh, no no no, God no!” Pepper laughs wholeheartedly. “Happy went and picked up the suits, and I needed Tony to sign some papers for me, so I brought them along. Me and Tony, hell no, never again!”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply…” Steve blushes a bit. He’s still terrible at conversations, especially with women. “Maybe I was just hoping you could go with him tonight in my place. I hate tuxes almost as much as I hate nazis.”

“Oh, Steve” she pats him on his shoulder. “I have no intention of getting caught in a gala. Been there, done that.”

“Yeah, I figured” he gives her an apologetic smile, before going back to his room to face his worst enemy ever: the tie.


	2. Chapter 2

As promised, Tony is dressed up and on time, and when Steve reaches the common level, Tony is already there, waiting for him. The black suit he’s wearing is painted on him - well, it definitely is tailored, that’s for sure - and gives him an aristocratic look that suits him really well. But Steve’s the one who’s full of surprises. He’s wearing a blue suit - a spectacular shade of blue, not too deep, but not bright either, that compliments his blue eyes and his pale skin - a white shirt and a dark blue tie. He is a vision climbing down from heaven. Obviously.

Tony is jealous as hell. By his side, he’s going to be the ugly duckling all evening, and the idea that every camera is going to be on Steve - that every woman will try anything to get a word from him, or even a dance - gives him hell. Not because of Steve, no. It’s just a matter of roles.

“Ready, Stark?” Steve asks, trying to overcome the resistance of his tie. “The faster we go, the faster we get back, the faster I will take this damn thing off.”

Tony grins. Steve is terrific, he really is, but he’s as graceful as a bull in a china shop. On the other side, years of practicing had made him the perfect party animal.  

“C’mere. Jesus, Rogers, you’re a disaster” he whispers with affection, adjusting his tie for him. “I thought, after all this years as the Army’s jolly chimp, you at least would learn to make a decent knot. But sometimes even I am proven wrong.”

“I blame it on a subconscious reaction. Something like ‘You’ll never have me,’” Steve lets him work his tie with a half smile. Tony’s hands are fast under his chin, lightly touching his adam’ apple.

God, he wishes this evening was over already.

 

*

 

Tony parks his car personally - no one can take care of his beautiful baby.

The party takes place in an ancient mansion out of the city, on the way to New Jersey. The warm light through the windows swings over, giving the idea that the place is already full.

“Okay, there we go, Captain Cinderella. Remember, we go in, smile, say hello, give our speech and be out of this before you turn into a pumpkin.” Tony pulls out his best grin and heads straight the entryway of the mansion, where the press is ready to take photos and ask inappropriate questions.

“Are you saying I won’t get the chance to wear my glass slippers? That’s unfair!” Steve wears his standard smile - he literally wears it, like a ski mask, and it doesn’t reach his eyes - and stands patiently for the flashes.

“Did you write down a speech,” he asks Tony with gritted teeth.

“Sure I did,” Tony replies, as he slides an arm around Steve’s shoulders for the cameras, displaying his best profile.

Right past the entryway, a crew of gentlemen with their ladies welcome the two of them with too much effort. At the fifth time they thank Steve and Tony for attending, Steve knows he’s an inch away from smashing an expensive bottle of champagne on someone’s head.

“If they take another picture of me I swear to god...” he mutters angrily. “We are supposed to be here to do something good for the victims of the hurricane, not to feed the tabloids!”

“How do you think this things work today? Smile, the world is watching us!”

Tony grins and smirks, like they’re talking about useless things.

“Smile and wave, Cap, smile and wave,” and he cracks a big, happy smile as a couple of elderly approaches them. “Arnold! And oh my god, who is this charming young lady and what have you done with Margaret?”

The _charming young lady_ giggles and kiss his cheek, leaving an unpleasant allure of expensive, old perfume.

“Antony, you flattering sweet little thing” she says.

Just behind him, Steve is chanting “smile and wave” to himself with a doubtful expression. All around him there’s a crowd of people, all happy to tell the tale of that one time they met Captain America. Steve holds on to what he’s learned at USO to keep on chatting with anyone who demands his attention.

 

*

 

The night goes on smoothly. Tony is charming and puts up one of his little show for the crowd, while Steve is just lovely and perfectly adorable. It’s almost funny seeing how many adult, responsible people are this close to wetting their pants just for having a couple words with Captain America. The admiration he receives is inversely proportional to the desire that he has to stay there and let them stare at him in awe.  

When the time for the speech comes, it’s like Christmas for Steve. He grabs Tony and pulls him on the stage, ignoring his objections, and when Steve pats on the microphone, the entire room falls silent.

“I wish to thank each and everyone of you for being here tonight,” Steve starts, his voice clear and loud. “There are many ways to save innocent people, and Tony and I  are here tonight because we hope we can succeed in doing so. Last summer, the Atlantic coast suffered a devastation like we’ve never witnessed before. There are no villains, here, it’s just nature. Sometimes bad things happen, they simply do, and we cannot stop them, even with all our powers. Or maybe we can. We can, by investing in clean energy, by caring for our beautiful, fragile little planet. I’m honored and humbled to have by my side, tonight, a man who has already done wonders to provide our world with clean, respectful energy. But it’s not enough. It’s not, because natural disasters happen, and we must be there. We must provide real help, and answers for the american families who lost everything, who are left without a home; for the children left without family. Children who have the right to a future, to medical care if needed, to a new roof on their heads, and an instruction. To assure all this is not just an excuse for a frivolous night, is our precise duty, as American citizens, and human beings”

The crowd is captivated, as is Tony, who smiles at his side. The fact that Steve always acts like a big tough soldier, shouting orders around, makes him forget sometimes that the man standin right next to him is, in fact, a sweetheart who smiles at puppies on the street and gets all soft and sweet if a brat goes to him for an autograph on his toy shield.

“Tony, do you want…?” Steve suggests, presenting him the microphone, which Tony accepts graciously along with a pat on his shoulder.

“Thanks Cap” he begins. “Like you said, we’re not here for the delicious champagne, or for Margaret’s breathtaking beauty” the crowd giggles while the elderly woman waves a hand. “We are here because we are role models, we are that lucky one per cent that can - and must - take care of the others. And this is why I hereby officially declare open the Atlantic Association of the Maria Stark Foundation, to help rebuild the most heavily damaged areas, to assure the quick reopening of schools, police stations, hospitals, markets, public offices, factories. Everything that will help people go back to their normal lives as soon as possible”.

Steve turns to him, surprise written all over his face, while the crowd cheers. His blue eyes are full of something close to pride, and Tony bathes in the sweet sensation of being the main reason for it. For once, he’s got everybody’s attention for something genuinely good, without his Mark on it.

“Well, it looks like you all know where to address your generosity, now. We hope our presence will put the right kind of pressure on you. We will definitely do our best to ensure it does.”

He leaves the stage with a big, bright smile, shaking hands with anyone close enough.

“Well, that went well,” Tony grabs two flutes of champagne from a waiter and hands one to Steve.

“I think it went more than well. Wow, I’m speechless Tony, I really am. The Maria Stark Foundation can do so much for those people. Think about how many children will go back to school because of you, how many families will have a new home.”

Tony shrugs his shoulders like it’s nothing, and drink his champagne. “I really believe in what we just said up there. We were born lucky, or we built our fortune with our hands, it doesn’t matter: we have a responsibility to this world. And that is why I am so belligerent when it comes to clean energy. That is my field, my way to do something. Picture houses that can actively contribute to maintain the CO2-oxygen balance, like plants do, and cars that are completely self fueling. The range of improvement for solar energy is gigantic, we can run whole cities, and I’m talking about big ones, on eolic, we can build them disaster-proof, adaptable. I’ll be happy when we won’t need this kind of gala anymore.”  

Steve’s smile becomes larger and brighter as Tony speaks. “It’s a dream worth fighting for. And we’ll do it together.”

Tony smiles back and nods.

“I like how it sounds.”

 

*

 

On the opposite side of the hall, something crashes on the floor and someone laughs loudly. Tony observes the crowd placidly moving all around then.

“Fancy going out for some fresh air,” he asks, nodding to the corridor. “Let’s have a walk. This villa has an unbelievable garden, and I’m confident even the artificial lights will do it justice”.

“I’m in. Let’s pressure these rich folks from afar,” Steve smirks and wanders towards the blue, starry night. Chilly air hits their faces, after the suffocating atmosphere of the inside of the mansion. It’s a beautiful, quiet night, so unremarkable it’s almost strange. Something stings in Tony’s stomach, something he can’t quite name. The warm lights from the inside of the villa reflects on Steve’s face, making his eyes dark and liquid. “If we will be able to get a handful money from each one of those bored gentlemen, it’ll be like winning a war. Only without the smashed up buildings”.

Tony laughs and walks next to him. “If we gets a few bucks only from each of those penguins I will be really offended.”

“This are your people, you are clearly better than me with them. Not considering that I still haven’t catch up with the current inflation. Getting to a thousand bucks would be a big thing for me, right now,” Steve says it with a good amount of self irony, and Tony laughs out loud.

“Aw, Steve, you really are adorable” he grins, tilting his head gingerly.

“Yeah, everybody keep saying it. The thing is, I’m afraid it’s not really a good thing for me. I probably look like an alien, all stiffness and a broomstick right up my butt.”

“Hey, who doesn’t like a good broomstick up their ass,” Tony counters.

Steve crosses his eyes a bit, in that way of his that constantly reminds Tony of how Steve is indeed a unique piece of work, in every possible way. He loves it, because it’s impossible to live with Steve Rogers without making fun of him, even just a little.

Steve’s dense shadow blends with the bushes that line the stone path.

“I was thinking, this mansion is really old. I read it was built in late ‘1800s, when even I wasn’t born yet. It’s older than me, than you, and even than the time that divides me from this era. Or from you. It’s comforting, thinking about it”

“What, that there is something older than you?” Tony smirks and overlooks at him. “Sure there is. But nothing nearly as pretty”

Steve chuckles. “Oh, so I’m Captain Pretty now?”

“Nope. You’re more like Captain Dat Ass”

Steve jerks, as if something touched his butt, and stares at Tony with a mix of horror and shame. But Tony is lost in observing the trees all around them, his hands laced together behind his back. He’s calm and relaxed, and doesn’t look like someone who just gave him a dead hand. From the villa come noises of music and laughter.

“I think time has come to go back home, Cinderella,” Tony says, amused.

Steve finds himself surprised. “I can’t believe what I’m saying, but time flies. At least this part of our evening. It’s so good to be out here that I almost forgot how much I hate wearing ties.”

Tony’s giggle is open and amused, makes his eyes bright and all those little wrinkles appear all around them. Tony Stark is, with all the probability, the only man in history that is blessed by the time that passes.

“Come on, Captain, set yourself free from the torture. Take it off, if you want. Actually, you know what?” Tony puts two fingers on the silk of his own knot and pulls, slackens the fabric all around his neck. With two expert moves, he undoes his tie and opens the two first buttons of his shirt. It’s a little transformation, and now there is a new person in front of Steve, more relaxed, with the tie falling on the jacket and his neck rising from the two wings of his white shirt.

Steve becomes as red as a sunset. He freezes and stares at Tony like he was stripping right in front of him. The clenching embarrassment only last a moment, though, the time it takes to mimic his gestures - with much less confidence - and throw his tie high in the night.

Tony grabs it and laughs, pulling it around his neck too. “Hey, you have any idea how much these things cost?”

“No, but I swear if you let me rip it apart I will gladly refund you,” Steve jokes. Tony puts up a shocked face.

“You monster,” he exclaims, pulling the tie on his cheek and rubbing it affectionately. “Don’t listen to him, he’s a brute. Daddy will never leave you with him again.”

Steve laughs out loud with incredulity. “Do you plan on opening a new association in the Stark Foundation for the safeguard of designer ties,” he jokes and with a quick move he takes it out of Tony’s hands.

“Hey! Thief!” Tony tries to take it back but trips against Steve’s chest an… oh. Where did that strange feeling that makes Tony’s chest itch come from?

Steve keeps the tie hanging with no effort, and rocks one end loosely in front of his eyes. Pity it falls right on his lips, too.

The kiss comes without either of them really expecting it. It’s just a small shock, a touch of lips, but the feeling is that time crushed against a solid wall of unreality.

Tony backs off, taken aback by his own gesture, and tries to say something. But words won’t come out, and Steve is staring at him with wide eye, his mouth is still parted and he looks so accessible, so reachable. Tony takes another step back.

“Ah, Tony” Steve stutters, not knowing what to say. His eyes are blank and fixed on Tony. The tie lies at their feet, forgotten.

Tony turns his eyes away. He’s never found himself in a situation like that. No one ever stalls like that, after a kiss. Okay, that’s a lie, it did occur to him once, with Pepper.

“I think it’s time to go home now” he says, turning on his heel to run away. Steve is next to him right away to grab Tony’s arm. “Are you running away?”

“What? No!” Tony frees himself abruptly, like Steve’s fingers burned. He doesn’t look at Steve’s face and keeps walking. “Let’s just go home”

Steve doesn’t try again, but his let down expression makes Tony’s cheeks burn.

 

*

 

The trip back home is quiet, as if they have just had an epic fight. Tony can’t shake off the  feeling that he’s ruined everything for good. He has the feeling he just made the most shit-ass mistake of his life, although he’s not sure if it was the kiss, or that he ran away.

Steve doesn’t talk, he simply stares out the window, his eyes on the hypnotic lights of the city. And Tony feels like a coward and an idiot. And he hates being like that, so he takes the next turn without even thinking. He doesn’t want this night to end up like this, with tons of unsaid shit and a lousy stolen kiss.

That makes Steve react, even if he doesn’t turn away from the window. “This isn’t how you get to Manhattan.”

“I will pretend you didn’t just suggest what you just suggested,” Tony answers peacefully, while he takes a side road at a dizzying high speed.

Steve is too quiet, in a way that suggests he’s trying to find a way to hurt him.

“I’m not suggesting, I know for a fact that this is not the right way for the Stark Tower. Or has kissing people by surprise upset your sense of direction?”

Tony doesn’t answer. He just keeps on driving until he approaches the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. He parks the car almost in the middle of the street and gets out.

“Hop hop Captain, keep up,” he says, aiming at the park.

Steve stands still for a moment, half shocked by... by everything, really. By the place, by Tony. In the end, he gets out too and run safter him.

“Hey, why did you bring me here?”

Tony doesn’t answer. He just keeps walking until they reach the perfect spot, where Manhattan rises up in front of their eyes like it’s coming from another world, and the Brooklyn Bridge stretches out majestically on their right side, linking two worlds together, each with its own diversity and its relevance.

“I wanted to do this the right way” Tony admits, watching the New York skyline in awe. Steve slides next to him, close enough to brush his suit against his arm.

“Tony. Why did you bring me here?” he asks again. And there’s nothing accusatory about it. This time, his voice is soft and encouraging.

Tony just leans and kisses him. Slowly, taking his time, a mere caress of lips that makes both of them shiver from head to toe.

“I think I made a mess of things, before.” he apologies.

Steve smiles, open and honest.

“No. It was okay. It’s just, you scared me when you ran away. Because you did’”.

Tony takes a step back, but remains close enough for their shoulders to brush together with every breath. He looks straight ahead. “I was scared too. It wasn’t planned”.

“No, it wasn’t,” Steve agrees. “But I think odds were working in our favor. Your speech at the gala, that beautiful garden…”

“You sure? Because I still wanna kiss you like mad right now, and we’re not in that garden anymore”

“No, but here is perfect too. This is home.” Steve hugs him and kisses him with surprising fervor. And for some time, they look just like a teenage, lovey-dovey couple. Two youngsters, for different reasons.

Tony relaxes into Steve’s arms, his hand rises up into into the other man’s blond hair. All around them, the night is quiet. The Promenade is deserted and Tony doesn’t care about anything else but Steve. Neither of them care. Steve is beautiful, and not thanks to the suit. Steve is beautiful in every possible way, and come on, did Tony really not see this coming? Did he really not know how much he wanted Steve? Because now Tony wants him badly. Steve’s amazing eyes, those wonderful smiles of his, his damn stubbornness, that military look and the way he is constantly, gracefully out of time and space.

“Let’s get back home,” Tony says, and it sounds like a little promise. There will be time for words, after. Now, all that he wants is learning all of Steve’s kisses by heart.

 

*

 

The morning after, Steve isn’t the first to get to the kitchen for the breakfast, and that’s a big news on its own. Bucky and Natasha are already there with their coffee mugs, and Clint comes in right after him. Tony is still missing.

“So, how was last night? Boring?” Nat asks nonchalantly.

Steve  fights with coffee machine - he’s not really good at it, usually that’s Tony’s thing. “It was a good night” it’s the only answer he gives.

“Everything okay? Did you make good money?” Clint steals a bite from Bucky’s pancakes, who looks at him sourly but says nothing.

“I don’t know, Tony was in charge for the fundraising, you’ll have to ask him.” Steve grabs two apples and goes back to the table and-oh, he seems to have trouble walking. And sitting too, judging from the frown on his face when he hits the chair.

Natasha raises an hairbrow and plays mindlessly with her mug. “And what about the rest of the evening? Was it good,” she asks, tilting her head lightly.

“We stopped by Brooklyn, on our way back,” Steve answers vaguely. “We came back early.”

“Oh yeah, we saw from the security cams. We also saw you two going straight to your room. Is Tony still sleeping?”

Nat and Bucky both turn on Clint, exasperated.

“What?” says Clint, licking a drop of corn syrup from his finger. “I shouldn't have said that?”

“Oh my God, and you call yourself a spy?” Bucky cries, hitting Clint’s good hand with the fork when he tries again to steal Bucky’s breakfast.

“Ouch! I’m not a spy, she is!”  Clint answers back, rubbing down the sore hand.

Steve stays quiet, his eyes fixed on the plate in front of him. He eats fast and shoves one apple into his pocket, standing up right away.

“I will  be in the gym,” he says, hurrying through the door with some difficulty.

Clint looks at him and turns to the other two, perplexed.

“What has just happened?”

“Wow Clint, you have a magic touch, I gotta say,” Nat huffs. “Now, thanks to you, we won’t get a thing from him. We’ll have to try with Stark, and this time you are keeping your pretty mouth shut, or Bucky’s going to pull your hair. With his bionic hand”.

Tony appears at that very moment, and almost stumbles over Steve. The two do a little, ridiculous dance before they coordinate themself enough to pass by each other. Nat keeps her eyes fixed on her plate, but spots the affectionate little caress that Tony gives to Steve. Then Steve disappears and Tony comes finally in the kitchen, perplexed.

“What have you done to Captain Embarrassment? I’ve never seen him blush so much. I’m pretty sure he’s going to catch fire”

“And you know what it takes to set him on fire, right? _Ouch_!” Clint’s head follows Bucky’s arm and he tries to free his hair from Bucky’s iron grip.

“The gala went well, I assume? Steve seems quite pleased, for being the kind of event that required him a tie” Nat says casually.

“Oh it went well. We saved the day getting a fair amount of money. Or I think so, at least. I don’t have access to the Maria Stark Foundation accounts.”

“You don’t have access to your own Foundation’s accounts, Stark? Wow, they really trust you, don’t they?”

Nat offers him a plate full of freshly fried eggs. “You and Cap didn’t end up fighting, did you?” she asks, with a perfect concerned look.

“Pepper is in charge of my Foundation, and why would Steve and I get in a fight?” Tony counters. A moment after, his eyes go wide with comprehension.

“Oh,” he mumbles and shakes his head. “Oh no, you’ll get nothing from me, no ma’am. My lips are sealed”

Nat’s mask crumbles down, and even Clint and Bucky’s faces fall off.

“Come on Tony, you owe us. Give us something, we know you two threw yourselves in Steve’s room, you almost broke down the doors in your way. How did it go?”

Tony’s smirk is heavy with suggestion, but everything that comes from his lips is a dull “A gentleman kisses and doesn’t tell.” He grabs his coffee mug and disappears through the door, to his workshop, or maybe the gym.

“They had sex” Bucky says matter-of-factly.

“Of course they did,” Clint points out. “Did you notice the way Steve walked funny? That’s clearly the way you walk when you get royally...”

“You finish your sentence about my childhood friend, Barton, and I assure you you’ll be the one walking funny”

Clint blinks. “Uhm, I could come to like it?”

Nat crosses her arms and gets up, standing right in front of their chairs. They didn’t even notice she had gotten up, and now she’s staring at them with a strange, not to say slightly psychotic grin. “Very well” she says, slowly, eyes on the both of them. “Now, let’s see what we can do to match you up too”.

 

 

 

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo, that's all, Folks.  
> No, not really. Clearly, this story is missing something. What about the p0rn, huh?  
> No worries, we've already written a smutty little (or bigger) thing, and we're currently translating it. So have a little patience, and if someone is willing to help us out with the beta work, fixing the translation etc, you're more than welcome!  
> (Litteraly more than welcome, like, here, take these flowers and have some chocolate).  
> Thanks everyone and we hope to see you again very soon!


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